Hi all, I recently joined and put this on the joining topic but it is probably more suited to the Superb forum.

I recently bought a new Superb Estate/Tourer 2.0 CR TDi SE (170PS). I use the car to travel from Scotland to France and I'd like to change the headlights from RHD to LHD. Does anyone know how easy (or hard) it is to do this. I would use beam deflectors if it was for a few weeks but my visits to France run from 4 to 5 months at a time. Having put over 4,000 miles on the clock in 6 weeks I can say the car IS Superb. I looked at the Audi 3 & 4 and the BMW 3 and 5 Series Estates but the Superb was far superior.

Anyway looking forward to any advice (even if it means a visit to the Skoda Garage!)

Do you have Maxidot? (large display in the instrument cluster). If so then you should be able to do it from there - Tourist Mode i think it is called under lighting.

Do you have Maxidot? (large display in the instrument cluster). If so then you should be able to do it from there - Tourist Mode i think it is called under lighting.

I cannot believe how fast you have answered!!! No I don't have it. The tourist mode (I think) only applies to the xenon headlights which are fitted to the Elegance model. I noticed the price for the directional headlights as £800+ as an optional extra. Way too dear! I can get the LHD headlights from Skoda for just over £200 hence the do-it-yourself. Thanks for the guidance though.

Not sure then! No doubt someone else will be along soon to answer!

The tried and tested stick the ready made masks which block part the beam?

I thought all superbs came with maxi dot, does one of the stalks have a button on the end for seeing what mpg your doing if so keep going through the menu to the lights.

Failing that pop the headlights out and on the dipped beam side you should once the bulb is removed see a leaver inside move this to the top using a long screwdriver

Here is a link on how to change the Octavia ones so the superb ones should be the same

http://octavia-vrs.com/cms/content/eu-headlight-conversion

The tried and tested stick the ready made masks which block part the beam?

Thanks for the input RS3100. I have a similar attachment (beam deflectors) but these are really only suitable for visits of a week or two. My travels in France are up to 4/5 months at a time and I would rather have proper LHD lights.

Thanks for the input RS3100. I have a similar attachment (beam deflectors) but these are really only suitable for visits of a week or two. My travels in France are up to 4/5 months at a time and I would rather have proper LHD lights.

In that case you would be better with LHD lights as iirc all the 'tourist mode' does is flatten the beam the same as the stick on deflectors would anyway.

I thought all superbs came with maxi dot, does one of the stalks have a button on the end for seeing what mpg your doing if so keep going through the menu to the lights.

Failing that pop the headlights out and on the dipped beam side you should once the bulb is removed see a leaver inside move this to the top using a long screwdriver

Here is a link on how to change the Octavia ones so the superb ones should be the same

http://octavia-vrs.com/cms/content/eu-headlight-conversion

Thanks Skippy41. I think its only the Superb Elegance that has it. Mine's is the SE. They offer the "Directional Lights" as an option. i.e. you give me £850 and I'll give you the lights! I have checked the on board computer display and it does give you different light settings but not the "tourist" setting that the Elegance has. Great advice mind you and I'll have a look anyway.

In that case you would be better with LHD lights as iirc

all the 'tourist mode' does is flatten the beam

the same as the stick on deflectors would anyway.

Thats all you will need with summer on the way

In that case you would be better with LHD lights as iirc all the 'tourist mode' does is flatten the beam the same as the stick on deflectors would anyway.

You're right. It may be that I will eventually have the car matriculated to French plates and I have heard the flattening the beam is not enough for their light test. Its good for limited driving periods but not long term. I think I'll buy the LHD and try the swap. I mean how hard can it be??

Thats all you will need with summer on the way

Thanks for the advice. One piece more - You don't happen to know the date that summer's coming do you!!

Two weeks tomorrow I believe, (27th march)

Roll on summer!!

Would have thought the headlight lens would be designed specifically for a RHD or LHD vehicle.

Would have thought the headlight lens would be designed specifically for a RHD or LHD vehicle.

That's the problem. They are. I have a RHD car from the UK which I use a lot in France which obviously is LHD. To drive my car for long periods in France I would rather change the lights to LHD,

You could try the European scrappy's, there could be a few damaged cars that the lights could come off, I dont know if ebay could help

Edited 11 March, 201115 yr by skippy41

I would certainly not like to think every few months I had to move the headlights around.

Decide where you spend the most driving the car, then fit that countries headlights.

Then get deflectors for the country that is least used.

Simples.

I would certainly not like to think every few months I had to move the headlights around.

Decide where you spend the most driving the car, then fit that countries headlights.

Then get deflectors for the country that is least used.

Simples.

Thanks for the input Baldy. If it turns out to be difficult I'll probably do that but if its only 30 minutes work? I have nothing else to do with my time anyway except maybe take the wife out!

Failing that pop the headlights out and on the dipped beam side you should once the bulb is removed see a leaver inside move this to the top using a long screwdriver

Here is a link on how to change the Octavia ones so the superb ones should be the same

http://octavia-vrs.com/cms/content/eu-headlight-conversion

Hi,

I'm interested in this as off to Europe for a couple of weeks at Easter. I also have an SE, so don't have the luxury of lights that bend around corners or that can be reprogrammed to LHD from inside the car and I don't like stickers!!

I was wondering whether any other SE owners had tried flattening their beams Octavia style and whether anyone knows if it is the same?

Cheers

Kevin

Do the French go to all this bother when they come over here?

Don't think so.

Phil

Do the French go to all this bother when they come over here?

Don't think so.

Phil

I've never seen a French, German, Polish or any other European car in GB with stickers and I doubt they've all mechanically adapted their headlights. But that's because the British Police don't give a **** so they know they'll get away with it.

From what I've heard the French "Johndarme" see British cars as a ready revenue source and hang around the Ferry terminals to lighten tourists of their colourful euros before they can get to the hypermarket and spend it all on cheap wine beer and fags. So it's my aim not to become their next victim. Apparently the favourites are non adapted lights, lack of spare bulb kit, lack of reflective jackets for everyone in the car and not having a warning triangle that you can reach without leaving your seat... all things that I am certain 90% of British drivers wouldn't carry as standard, even if some of them are a good idea!

Personally I'm not sure all the bother is worth it... but after being mugged in the filling station I can't afford a fine :'(

I've never seen a French, German, Polish or any other European car in GB with stickers and I doubt they've all mechanically adapted their headlights. But that's because the British Police don't give a **** so they know they'll get away with it.

From what I've heard the French "Johndarme" see British cars as a ready revenue source and hang around the Ferry terminals to lighten tourists of their colourful euros before they can get to the hypermarket and spend it all on cheap wine beer and fags. So it's my aim not to become their next victim. Apparently the favourites are non adapted lights, lack of spare bulb kit, lack of reflective jackets for everyone in the car and not having a warning triangle that you can reach without leaving your seat... all things that I am certain 90% of British drivers wouldn't carry as standard, even if some of them are a good idea!

Personally I'm not sure all the bother is worth it... but after being mugged in the filling station I can't afford a fine :'(

I would agree with this! They are only interested in speeding in the UK....backed up by what i saw tonight - An X5 with front fogs on following a police car and also fully tinted front side windows....2 offences there quite literally staring them in the face.

What is the law regarding a spare bulb kit abroad? Only i may be going to Germany this summer and i have Xenon's so obviously can't carry a 'full' bulb kit?

I would agree with this! They are only interested in speeding in the UK....backed up by what i saw tonight - An X5 with front fogs on following a police car and also fully tinted front side windows....2 offences there quite literally staring them in the face.

What is the law regarding a spare bulb kit abroad? Only i may be going to Germany this summer and i have Xenon's so obviously can't carry a 'full' bulb kit?

It's too much paperwork in Britain, so they don't bother... every other car has a headlight out, or the foglights on with no sign of fog - or both! In France the Police retain your driving licence until you cough up the on the spot fine, no questions, no need for magistrates, no paperwork. So it's a good earner!

That's a good question, because it always was compulsory in most European countries and I have been lugging a bulb kit around Europe for years, but I have just checked and the latest AA advice doesn't even mention a bulb kit. Perhaps it's because with so many Xenons around it's impossible to enforce now. Does anyone else know?

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/compulsory_equipment.pdf

If you are heading towards certain German cities, watch out for the requirement to have an "emissions" sticker. It's an attempt to improve the environment in city centres by keeping smoky old diesels out. See the bottom of this document for a bit of advice.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/germany.pdf

It's too much paperwork in Britain, so they don't bother... every other car has a headlight out, or the foglights on with no sign of fog - or both! In France the Police retain your driving licence until you cough up the on the spot fine, no questions, no need for magistrates, no paperwork. So it's a good earner!

That's a good question, because it always was compulsory in most European countries and I have been lugging a bulb kit around Europe for years, but I have just checked and the latest AA advice doesn't even mention a bulb kit. Perhaps it's because with so many Xenons around it's impossible to enforce now. Does anyone else know?

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/compulsory_equipment.pdf

If you are heading towards certain German cities, watch out for the requirement to have an "emissions" sticker. It's an attempt to improve the environment in city centres by keeping smoky old diesels out. See the bottom of this document for a bit of advice.

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/germany.pdf

Thanks for the info...didn't know about the emissions thing. Will avoid those cities or just risk it for a €40 fine

Do the French go to all this bother when they come over here?

Don't think so.

Phil

You're right Phil they don't. They can be a bit militant, in fact I'm surprised they don't drive on the right while in the UK.